Family Is Forever

Lately I have been thinking a lot about an old man who had one of the biggest impacts in my life. He was my best friend and I loved going to visit him. We would have random talks about anything and everything. We talked about his life and his crazy adventures he went through. From car accidents to tractor accidents, he had been through it all. I would tell him stories about my friends and my soccer games. He smiled and was proud when I told him I could knock the boys over in soccer. He laughed when he would lose his eye and needed help to come find it. When he set his mind to something, he would go after it. This stubborn old man is my Pops. It's now been 4 1/2 years since he has passed away but recently it has all been coming back. The memories, the laughter, the crutons and the juice, and of course the tears. Maybe it's been because I am away from home and family or maybe it's because as I go through all these changes and adventures in my life,  I want to tell him about them but, physically can't. I know that he is here with me, watching over me and experiencing all these wonderful things with me, but that does not make it any easier. There have been many events the last couple months that I have wanted to share with him. He was there when I got my mission call, but I couldn't feel the hug he gave. He was with me when I delivered the baby lamb, but I didn't get to hear his reaction to it. He is with me, silently comforting me as I cry typing this right now, but not being able to see him is one of the hardest things. What makes all of this a little less hard is knowing that my family is forever. Because of this wonderful gospel that I am a part of, my parents were able to be sealed together for time and all eternity, as were there parents. My family is a forever family. Even though I cannot see him now, I will be able to see him again someday. This comfort has gotten me through the last 5 years as  I lost 3 grandparents and many other family members. It is hard. There are times that I wish he were still here to see me off to college and on my mission, but then I remember how much pain he was constantly in and that by now, he would have probably lost all of his vision. He can now really see me progress in my life in ways that he was unable to before. He will be watching my whole mission, experiencing it with me instead of hearing about it in letters that he wouldn't have been able to read. I know that it is better this was, but lately it is hard to remember why when I feel just like I did 4 1/2 years ago when it all started. The look on their faces in the busy lunch room is forever stuck in my head. I knew at that moment that he was gone. My life had been changed. My best friend was no longer there for me to visit. He wouldn't warm my hands and feet anymore with his big hand. We would no longer nudge him awake when he dozed off in Sacrament Meeting. There would now be empty seats at holidays. No more 3 A.M. phone calls. One look at my parents and I knew it had all changed. All of this and much more has been so close to the surface lately. When changes come, I guess it brings up memories like these. The memories that make us laugh and cry. I miss him terribly but am so glad that he is where he is, pain free and happy. I will see him again and when I do, it will be the first time that I will have seen him like that. Knowing all of this, is what keeps me going on with my life the way that I should. Living my life so that when I am old and telling my own grandchildren my stories, they will want to listen and will want to tell me theirs. My family is forever just because we are not physically together right now, does not mean that we won't be again. I love you Pops! Thank you for being such a wonderful example to me and my sisters.

Called to Serve

Since the mission age change, everyone and their dog has been going on a mission! Which is great! I am one of those people!!!! Attention world! I have been called to serve in the Indiana Indianapolis Mission! I report to the MTC July 3, 2013. I will be preaching in the English Language and could not be more excited! I cannot wait to serve the wonderful people of Indiana but I am also so excited to be serving in the exact same mission as my father! Yes, that's right, my daddy served in the Indiana Indianapolis mission! Along with other mission news, all of my closest college friends are or will be serving missions! Taylor is serving in the Huston Texas Mission, Dylan is in the Edmonton Canada Mission, Miriam has been called to the McAllen Texas Mission, and Kaylee has been called to the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Mission! I am so proud of all of them and the choice to serve a mission! This church is such a great blessing in my life and I am so grateful at the opportunity to help bring this joy to those who do not have it in their lives!

Before the big reveal! Where will I go, nobody knows!

Reading the call...

Right after reading it...everyone laughing that I'm going to dad's mission. I am looking at my dad in this moment.

The whole fam. with the call!

Would not be the person I am today without these wonderful parents! I love them so much and am so grateful for the example they are to me!

My fantastic sisters! Love them both dearly!

It's sooner now, but this was the countdown as of last Sunday!

A Very Happy Birthday!

Hello all! It's been a little while since I have posted but that's due to computer problems. But now that I have my computer back so it's time to post about my birthday!!!!!!! That's right! Yesterday was my 19th Birthday! If you know me at all, then you know that I LOVE my birthday! It's my favorite day of the year! It was a great day! It started out by going to my two favorite classes, Mission Prep and Book of Mormon! After that I went to lunch and then spent most of the afternoon studying for some upcoming tests! Kaylee and I went to Cafe Rio for my birthday dinner and enjoyed real, good food! We then went and got yummy dessert from Chili's! The rest of the night was spent half studying and half watching various chick flicks on TV...it was probably more 95% watching TV and 5% studying...hehe It was a great day! Today I was able to fly home! We went to Bonsai for a special birthday dinner and then came home and I opened presents! I got lots of great stuff that I will be able to use on my upcoming mission!!! It is so nice to be home and just relax instead of sit in my dorm room and relax! :D

My cute happy birthday sign from the best RA ever!!!!

I got my own pool table!

Bonsai birthday dinner!!! They are so talented!

The family at dinner! I am super red but only because I had just had a coughing attack...

My daddy and I!!

Thanks friends and family for a spectacular birthday! It was a great day and I am so grateful to have you all in my life! You are such great examples to me! Love you all!

Jumpin January!

The month of January has just flown on by! It seems like just a couple days ago I was leaving to go back to school and now the semester is 1/4 over! Which doesn't seem like much but trust me folks, it is! Life has just been flying by! Both of my favorite men have been called to serve the lord as full time missionaries in Texas and Canada and I am so proud of them! Kaylee and I are both one step away from turning our papers in! My roommate left me so I now have a room to myself...which is sometimes lonely but other times nice...like when I have a cough! I may not be able to sleep but at least I'm not keeping another person awake too! Another plus is when it's movie night, we can just pull the matress down and sit on that, which is so much comfier than the ground (believe it or not)!!! There have been lots of fun times this month!!! Let's review in pictures!

We are obsessed with Les Mis and I am obsessed with this HOTTIE!!!

The Hot Chocolate bar at lunch one day was sooooo good!

I was really excited about the chocolate spoon!

Kaylee and I at Casino Night!

Laurel was an awesome dealer!

Lot's of chips for Kaylee!

Me too!

Sometimes we take sad pictures and send them to Dylan and Taylor because we miss them so much!

And then I save some snap chats like this because I'm so proud of this missionary!!

And then we also take pictures of pictures from last semester and it makes us sad...because we miss them!

19 candles on one tinie tiny cupcake! Happy Birthday to this awesome gal!

When we are bored at glow in the dark FHE we make Daylor...it's a glow stick version of Dylan and Taylor...

Made my own cup of dirt at dinner the other night! It made my day!!!!

This is my self portrait! Can't you tell this is me?!?!?!

2012: An Amazing Year

2012 was full of excitement and change, laughter and tears, friendship and trials. There were many adventures, both good and not too good... It was a year like no other where I had to experience many new and somewhat scary things. Let's start out with the beginning of the year! Good old January was the start of my final semester of high school. I couldn't wait to be done! That semester was easy and dragged on way to long. There were days where I would get there and just want to leave...and sometimes did... :D January also brought my 18th birthday! I officially became an adult this year! The year progressed as usual. Busy with school (or pretended to be), friends, choir (the only good part of this was going on tour to Seattle...minus all the bus issues), and church callings. Not only that but I also had to decided which college to go to! As all of you now know I picked Southern Utah University and absolutely love it!!!!! I went to dances and partied the night away! The day I never thought would come, finally came....GRADUATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finally after 14 years of school, I was done! I didn't have to go if I didn't want to! Partied at grad night and spent the summer enjoying the sun and falling in love with the world of Hogwarts! I spent the summer preparing for trek. The first week of August was spent with my amazing ward on the "plains" trekking about like the pioneers! My testimony was strengthened and so were many great friendships! It was an experience that I will never forget! My parents and I took a trip to Chicago! It was great and so much fun! I prepared myself for the big change in my future, moving to Cedar City. I was worried and thought that it would be the hardest thing ever! It wasn't as hard as I thought! I was blessed with amazing roommates who made the first weeks of school so much easier. I made amazing friendships with some great people! We had many adventures in Cedar and many great laughs! Don't worry...I did more than have fun...I did my homework, went to class, and took many tests. I studied and made it through my first semester of college in one piece! I also made the decision to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints this year! I won't be leaving until at least the summer of 2013. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas all came and went, fun times spent with my wonderful family! It was a great year! This is going to be a long post but pictures are a must, so get over it! It's my blog! :D

 My 18th Birthday!! Crazy Candles for a crazy girl!

Before Sweethearts!

 Choir tour in Seattle...riding some random pig at Pikes Place!

We met some kids from Cali on the way to the awards dinner!

 They thought those mustache guys were hot...I just wished them a mustacular day!

Easter at the Child house!

Prom with Alex.

 Mom and Dad love their baby girl!

 Melissa and I after our last choir concert! We were a little excited about that fact!!!!

After seminary graduation! 

 Josie and I at graduation! We finally did it!!!!

 I DID IT!!!!!!!!

 Grad party fun!

 Family trip to the zoo!

 Disco skating with Jo!

The pre-jump picture!

 My Segway to adulthood...but really just around Chicago!

 Carriage ride around downtown Chicago with mom and dad!

 This is my dorm after I finally finished moving in! It never really looks this good...

 First time watching the Hunger Games...hadn't read the books yet...now I LOVE them!

 Kaylee and I watching the movie!

 First official day of college!

After running through the Cedar rain! We were soaked, but had so much fun!

 First home game...and my awesome pink hair!!

 Watching Rocket to the Moon at the Homecoming Pep Rally thing!

At the Field of Screams...so much fun!

 Homecoming football game! We may have lost but we had some fun! "Do you feel liked you got raped?"-Random guy behind us. "Pocket raped."-Dylan
It was a super random exchange but we've laughed about it lots since!

 Matching face paint for the homecoming game!

 Before picture at the Color Me Rad 5K...my first 5K!

 After picture! It was great fun!

 Sometimes we are special......

 Kaylee and I with Gingy at the fun little Holiday parade that Cedar City put on!

 Finally got to meet Baby Nate! Love him so much! He is my adorable cousin!

 Ready to party the night away at the Yule Ball!

Playing at the park at 1:00 AM!

 Last time with all four of us living in Cedar for at least 2 years. Gonna miss these boys next semester!

Scared in the Sheep Tunnels on Taylor's last night before moving back home!

 Temple Square lights!

 Ice skating in Murray! Glad that we all live close enough to still hang out when at home!

 Merry Christmas!

 We made Santa Beards at our Christmas Celebration! Kind of awesome!

Christmas Eve pjs!

The cup of joy I won at New Years Eve bingo!

 

Sorry this is so long...but tough luck! It's been a long year full of fun! There are lots more pictures that I wish I could have added so just be grateful I didn't!